The invention relates to packaging in general, and, more particularly, to packaging boxes and components for retaining items in a secure manner.
Various packaging boxes are known, including boxes equipped for shipping items in a secure manner. For instance, sensitive items are often shipped in boxes with the items supported on blocks or on specially molded foamed polyurethane, or spaced from the side panels of the box by cardboard inserts, foamed polyurethane pellets or beads, or the so-called bubble-wrap sheets. These protective measures suppress the transmission to the items of impacts, shocks, vibrations and/or other forces to which the box itself may be subjected, but they sometimes are bulky, costly, difficult to handle, environmentally undesirable, and/or are non-compliant or do not conform to the items being shipped.
Some packaging components utilize resilient film to retain items being shipped in a secure manner. For example, inserts comprising cardboard frames with plastic film stretched over the frame have been used, with the item being secured between two such inserts that oppose each other.
The assignee of this application has rights under several U.S. patents relating to packaging. U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,896 to Jones shows an article packaging kit comprising an insert having a flat, corrugated cardboard sheet surrounded by a plastic sleeve or tube. The sheet is foldable to allow the sleeve or tube to be bloused up to accommodate an item. Returning the sheet to a flat position causes the sleeve to be tensioned about the item. U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,245, also to Jones, shows a similar arrangement.
The entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,323,896 and 5,676,245 are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.